The Sun. — London, England, 1809-07-14 00:00:00

PORTUGAL. ~: We have received a series of the " Diario de Oporto, - which was published during the late and short occupation of that city by the French. The first number came out on the sth of April. It fur nislees us with the following apology for the horrible massacre of the inhabitants of Oporto, on the 29th orthe preceding month " The catastrophe which Oporto has just suffered ::as been truly dreadful, and should serve as a warn ing to all those who have the folly and temerity to undertake great enterprises Without calculating the ' means, or looking forward to the result. But, amidst the horror with which so severe an example must affect every feeling heart, there is certainly abundant matter of consolation to minds capable of weighing in the balance of genuine philosophy, and jirely appreciatieg proceedings which are the more to be admired, the less they were. to have been ex pecti.d. At all . times, and among all nations, even ti,e most polite and civilized, a town entered by , storm, and carried by assault, has invariably been exposed to the fury of the conquerors, and paid with its entire destruaion the penalty of its contumacy. .All history abounds in fads of this description, and unfortunately that of Portugal is not less fertile in such fatal and lamentable examples.. What is term ed the right of war,' puts into the bands of the conqueror every thing belonging to a contumacious. city.' Life and property—every thing is placed at his disposal, and depends entirely upon his pleasure; and the termination of the assault is, in geneeal, the commencement of destruction. Conflagration, death, and ruin, immediately follow in the train of victory. Such was the melancholy late which the unfortunate city of Oporto lied to apprehend from a conqueror, principally exasperated by the barbarity fanatics, who, mistaking ferocity for valour, ' and insubordination for patriotism, and throwing off ah respect for Government, dared to imbrue' their heeds in the 'blood of one of the French Officers, still in with a Flag of Truce, in contempt of the law of nations by which, einong every people, such persons are held sacred and inviolable. But Divine Providence had determined that all should rot suffer for the crime of a few, and, in the ful filment of his profound and inscrutable decrees,i he. permitted the French army to be commanded by a • • hero, in whose heart, valour, and humanity, contend superiority. His Excellency the Duke of Dal matia, previously known by the appellation of Mar shal -Sonit, was the hero alluded to, whose ,soul al ways listens rather to the voice of mercy, than to the calls of the most justifiable resentment. Thus are the truly valiant, the genuine heroes, brave in battle, humane after victory. Such is his Excellen ce, and such did he prove himself to be. Not only empowered by the efforts of his brave army, but authorised also by the laws of war, to complete the destruction of this unfortunate city, and put to death its wretched inhabitants, he was restrained by his natural disposition, and his known goodness of heart; and the carnage ceased with the assault, and the work of destruction was put a stop to almost before resistance was at an end. The. pillage which might have continued many days, scarcely lasted a few hours. Tranquility succeeded to confusion. The strictest orders were given tO the soldiers to respeat pyrsons and property ; and the soldiers, not less well-discileitied than brave, most punanaily obeyed them. At this moment, quiet is completely re stored, and the inhabitants of this city are deriving consolation from this proceeding on the part of the _Marshal. Thank Heaven that they have fallen into the hands of a roan, who, .in the midst of his own prosperity, can feel for the misfortunes of others, and whose constant effort is to mitigate those evils which he could not wholly prevent. Such is the charader of his Excellency ; such has every where been his conduct, and more particularly since his ar i val on the 'frontiers of Portugal, re may be seen by the following ACCOUNT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE IMPERIAL ARMY, FROM THE FLAW!) OF ITS ENTRANCE INTO YOHTUGAL, [Of the principal events recorded in this account, our readtrs we're long ago in po,session, , and as to the details, tt may suffice t remark, that all of them iece've that colouring which harmonizes with the piaur, given 1 . . s ut the wonderful " humanity" and " scmibility" of Marshal Soult. At Chaves, Braga, ' an:' every other place entered by the French army, on tiwir. roue to Oporto, the Clemency of the Corn mand;,r, and the " good discipline" and " friendly. ~tidnot" of the troops, are represented as having overcome the prejudices, and completely won the • s of the Portuguese. We shall translate the concia.ing passage of the account, as it presents us witl) another specimen of the dexterity with • liich the writer glosses over the cruelties coin • tud on the enemy's entrance into Oporto.) " Tk French army were, by ten o'clock in the morning, within the walls of the city of Oporto. The peasaony who garri,oned the redoubts fled in disorder. The French troops vigorously pursued 11:n:. In the ii. tenor of the city there was some resistance, but without any plan this led to some degree of pillage, which from the fury of the soldiers, oliLlit have been greater, had not the Duke of Dal ro,.t he moment he entered the city, exerted him self o put a stop to an evil which he foresaw, and was anxious to prevent. The loss of the insur geots was very considerable, more particularly in the redoubts. Both banks of the Douro exhibited a speitaele. The panic-struck inhabitants rush td tor Safety to the bridge, which from the pressure 0: the vast multitude upon it, gave way, and an im mense number of persons of all ranks, ' conditions, And ages perished in the river. Here it was that an occalon arose for displaying. the humanity of the soldiers, who, forgetting that these wretch ,e,), beings were enemies, and, remembering only that tfiey were men, and unfortunate, used every exer tion to save them. Persons who were thus rescued from death, have confessed the ha, to the honour cf humanity, aod the confusion of those who bar barously take away the lives of their lellow-crea tur,-s. The following day tranquility was complete ly restored, and those who saw this city a few days after, could not have believed that it had so recently been taken by storm, had it not been for the dead bodies which worthy and pious citizens were drag giUg out - 4,i( t e t is er, and carrying off for interment. ouch was the unfortunate fate whit h a few frantic fanatics brought upon this unhappy city. Hemet) grant, that they may not be called to account for the blood of so many innocent persoos, who have fallen victims to their ferocity, but alas ! that is impossible : God, as he is the just rewarder- of the good, is also the severe thastiser of evil. At all events, it is to be hoped, that this calamity will open the eyes of the Portuguese, make them sensible of their error, and cause them to turn o deaf ear to those who lead them into an abyss of perdition, in urging them to the absurd exposure of their lives, their property, their families, in a word, ail that constitutes happiness, by rashly taking up arms, when quiet and rational men crew enjoy in peace all the blessings that Providence allots them." Under the date of the 14th April, we find an advertisement, stating, that the Duke of Dalmatia had appointed a Commission for the purpose of restoring the plundered property to the legal claim ants, being Portuguese. The Editor, at the same time, takes care to mention the apprehension of an Irishman and several Portuguese, who thought they bad as good a rig to pillage as the French ; and he embraces the opportunity of laying down a most admirable distinction for the benefit of the latter. " Expel ience," he says, " daily proves, that it was -not the French troops alone who pillaged this city; they at least were authorised ly the laws of war ; but that there should have been Portuguese who could avail themselves of the general calamity and confusion to rob theircountrymen,and despoil then) of those effeets which had been even spared amidst the pillage, is a fact so horrible as to surpass even bar barism itself. But thanks to a vigilant Government, those monsters are in the course of being discover ed, and w ill soon eeceive the just punishment of their offeucts !" On the :7th of April, a deputation of 12 Noble• men, Clergymen, Merchants, etc. from Braga, wait ed upon Soult. The account of this interview, which is given in their name, states, that he con versed largely with them upon the interests, the pro dude, commerce, and population of the province of Minho. It contrasts this proceeding with the sup posed indifference of their old government, to any thing else than the raising of taxes, asserts that the flight of the Prince Regent amounts to a voluntary abdication of the throne of Portugal, and anticipates a happy futurity under a new dynasty. From the passage which alludes to the change of sovereignty, it should seem that Soult had beee,, tampering with the deputies to procure an appl►cation to Napoleon to confer that honour upon himself :—" The House of Braganza no longer exists; it is the will of heaven that our destinies should pass into other hands ; and it has been the particular favour of Divine Provi dence, which governs the universe, to send us a man, exempt from passions, and solely devoted to true glory; and who desires to employ the force, confided to him by the great Napoleon; only for our protection and deliverance front the monster of anarchy which threatened to devour us."—" Why do we delay to assemble around him, and to pro claim him our father and deliverer ? Why do we delay to express our anxiety to see him at the head of a nation, of whose affections he has tnesle so rapid a conquest ? The Sovereign of France will lend a gracious ear to our supplications, and will ne happy to see,' that we wish to have for our King, one ut his lieutenants, and at the same time a great Gene ral, who, imitating his example, knows hew tv conquer and to pardon." On the 24th of April, Soult distinguished himself es a religious devotee, to the great edification of the Portuguese Clergy. The account given et this pro ceeding is as follows " His Excellency the Marshal Duke of Deirnatia, Governor of these Kingdoms, having frequently heard of the great celebrity of the magnificent church of our Lord of Matozinos, both for its antiquity, and the astonishing miracle whereby Providence was pleased to manifest his favour and particular regard towards our country ; and being desirous of iisiting the said church, and the most venerable image there in worshipped, has found the means of snatching, for that purpose, a few moments from his numerous and most important avocations. The venerable Rec tor of that parish, who was in attendance to-gratify his pious wishes, met with so endearing and affable a reception from his Excellency the Marshal, that, from satisfaCtion and joy,, he could nut restrain his tears. His Excellency addressed many questions to him, not only with regard to the marvellous event to which we owe that inestimable relic, but also re specting the population, agriculture, industry, and all the means of subsistence, possessed by the inha bitants of that district. The reverend Pastor answer ed all these questions with much knowledge and discretion. His Excellency then entered the Church with the Officers of his Staff; and himself and his retinue prostrating themselves before the Holy Altar, paid that tribute of respect and reverence, which religion requires of those who are animated with the true spirit of Christianity. There cannot be a more moving arid interesting speCtacie, than to see a great man humbling himself in the presence of the King of Kings, and the Sovereign Disposer of Empires. All the inhabitants of Matozinos, who were pie sent at this religious solemnity, were wrapt up in ecstacy. His Excellency expressed extreme con cern, on learning that a great part of the ornaments and jewels belonging to that magnificent Church had been cal vied off; but the magnanimity of his soul could not confine itself to the simple expression of concern. Impelled by the boundless generosity, of which be has already given us so many proofs, he declared to the ReCtor, in the presence of the Sacred Image, that in the name, and on the part of his Ma jesty the Emperor and King, he dedicated for ever to that church a silver lamp, with the funds neces sary to keep it continually burning : that he madea fur ther offering of two large silver candlesticks ; and also that he resolved to douole the stipend of the ReCtor, and the salary of the Sacristan. Let this fact be contrasted with what we have been told, both ver bally and in writing, by fanatical declaimers, re specting the irreligion of the French troops and their leaders, and we shall become convinced of their partiality and falsehood. It is time to open our eyes, and to acknowledge the hand of Providence in the series of events which have befallen us. How for tunate are we, that Heaven has destined u, iu be governed by a hero who possesses a heart dis t io-,ed to be deeply and warmly impressed with all ihe ma jesty of our liely Religion, and who aspires only to make it shine forth ►with new and never-halii g splendour ! Let the calutuniatore be confounded, and the timid be tranquil. Our hopes ought to be le-animated, now that they have obtained a support which, reiting on religion, and lifting its ncad above the storms, promises their entire realization." Soult, accordingly, on the 28th of April, issued a Decree tor placing a silver lamp in the Church of Matozinos, which he dedicated to " our Lord the good Jesus of Bouzas," and assigning an annual revenue .of 16 ; 000 reis for keeping it perpetually burning, in honour of the image of " our said Lord." The Decree also doubled the income of the Reaor and Sacristan. On the 26th April, Soult ',gave audience to a De putation of 36 persons from Braga, and the civil, re ligious, and military authorities of Oporto. In the speeches addressed to him upon this occasion, he was pressed to permit them, until the " supreme in tentions " of the Emperor should be ascertained, to swear fidelity to " his most worthy Representatives who had so many claims to the love, respeet, and gratitude of the Portuguese nation." The Repre sentative, in his reply, expatiated as usual on the numerous blessings in reserve for the Portuguesei under French Administration ; but he warily no ticed the hints of the Deputies, only in these terms: " As to what concerns myself,' I feel myself obliged by the frank expressions which you have used rela tive to my person; but it does not depend upon me to answer them." The Deputie then had the honour of kiss►ng his, Excellency's hand. MAILS. AR R tvit)--2 Cottenburgh, 2 Dublin. Du 1--O Cotten burgh, i Lisbon, i Malta, 2 Waterford. PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT TSVs.LVE O'CLOCK. Consols - - - 68-Red. Ann. - TtlE SU N. SOLIDS QUIT 131CRIX 1 LISUM AUDIAT ? L O N D O N, FRIDAY, Jtil - A - 14, 1809. This morning a Mail arrived irom Gottenburgh. The following are the only articles of intelligence it ,brings : STOCKHOLM, JUNE 28.—His Royal Highness has the following report from General Baron \YREnE, Commander in Chief of the Northern Army : " I have the honour to report to your Majesty, that the frigates Froja and Bellona are criaizing oft Quarkin, so that on the whole, four frigates, one gun-brig, and a smaller,vessel, armed witb.carron ades, are at my disposal. " I shall this day remove my bead-quarters to Nordmaling, where the main body of your Majes ty's troops under my command is concentrated, and I trust I can now, under divine Providence, answer your Majesty for the safety of this part of the coast. " WREDZ." " Head-quarters, Herthosand, lune 25, 1809:" His Majesty's coronation took place yesterday; and, on the 3d of next month, the Royal Family will receive the usual congratulations on the happy event. We have not yet - received any further intelligence of the enemy's operations, arid must therefore sup pose that he has not made any further progress in his intended invasion of this country.—(Stockholm Gazette; June 30.) Just before this Paper was put to Press, another Gottenburgh Mail arrived, but its contents are very Unimportant. An article from .Carlscrona, dated the 51h inst. states, that the regulations adopted in Russia, for excluding English ships and merchandize from the Russian Ports, are carried into effect with the utmost rigour,. THERE appears to be strong reason to believe, from the extracts from the German Papers which we yesterday laid before our readers, either that JERONIE BUONAPARTE has sustained a defeat, or that, after . all his boasting, he has found the Austrians too strong to be attacked with any chance of suc cess. The circumstance of his ordering his heavy baggage back to Magdeburgh, ,could only have pro ceeded from one of these causes. If our conjec- tune upon this point should prove corral, JEROME will be in a very precarious situation, for by this time we have no doubt that a very formidable force has been organized in Hanover, which will threaten his rear. The KING, QUEEN, Princesses SOPHIA, AU GUSTA, ELIZABETH, and MARY, accompanied by Lords SOMERVILLE and RIVERS, Ladies THYNNE and sister, Marchioness BATH and daughter IL CHESTER, and ALBINA CUMBERLAND, walked on Windsor Terrace, till , nine o'clock, on Tuesday.— His MAJESTY and Lord , SOMERVILLE were greatly in conversation, principally during the evening.— The King's own Stafford Band attended, and played a number of martial pieces. On WeclneNday the QUEEN and Princess ELIZA• BETH took an airing to her Royal Highness's Cottage, at Old Windsor, where they partook of a cold collation, &c. and at one o'clock returned to the Palace. Her MAJESTY and the PRINCESSES afterwards dined at Frogmore Lodge, and returned to the Pa lace at eight o'clock. Yesterday morning his MAJESTY, Princesses Au onsTA and SoPHIA, accompanied by Lord BUCKLEY', Lady ALBINA CUMBERLAND, General FITZROY, Colonels TAYLOR and DESBROW, rode in Windsor Great Park, and returned at twelve o'clock. Tha.QUEEN and Princess ELIZ ABB= took an air ing to Frogmvre. NAVAL NEWS PLYMOUTH, JULY 12.—Arrived the Farrei French: schooner, from Bourdeaux, laden with provisions, bound to the Isle of France ; a few days after leaving the former place, she encountered a tremendous gale, of wind, off the coast of Spain, in which she lost her mizen-mast, and was obliged to put into Corunna to repair. Marshal NEY, ordered the cargo to be landed L - ntuediately, for the use of the French army, then in Corunna, which order was obeyed, and the schooner was re-laden with , a. cargo, core— sisting of cotton, coffee, indigo, and sugar, whicia had been plundered from the Spanish merchantmen in the harbour of Corunna, from whence she sailed. for Bayonne. Soon after her leaving the former port, she fell in with, and was captured, after a long chase, by his Majesty's ship Shannon, Captaiii BROKE. Arrived the brig Elk, of and from Halifax, Mut,- LEDGE, Master, laden with masts, spars, staves, &c. bound to this port ; sailed in company with several. sail, under convoy of his Majesty's ship Hussar, of 38 guns; parted company on the toth instant, which ship, with the convoy, passed up Channel yesterday morning. Came down the harbour, and anchored in the Sound, 'his Majesty's ships Circe•and Minerva; the former is ordered to Portsmouth, and is expeaed to sail immediately. Sailed the Peacock sloop of war, Capt. PEAKE, on a cruize; and a gun-brig to the westward. DEAL, JULY 13. The, following Hon. East India. Company's ships arrived in the Downs this morning, from India, under convoy of his Majesty's frigate Terpsichore— Hugh Inglis, William Pitt, Earl St. Vincent, Euphrates, Sir William Bentley, Indus, Sovereign, liuddart, Northurn. berland, Lord Eldon, and Lushington. The four following ships parted company from the fleet, in a violent gale of 'wind, on the 14th March last, and have not since been heard of—June Dun das, Calcutta, Jane, Duchess of Go - rdon, and Bengal. The York arrmed in the Downs also this tnornm' ink, with a large convoy of West Indiamen. A general embargo was laid on all shipping in the Downs, at three o'clock p. m, and no boats are per mitted to go off on any account.' DOVER, JULY 13.—The following ships, being part of the last India, Leeward Istan anu Quebec fleets, passed by this day for London, viz. Hamilton, Campbell, from Dominica ; Ann, Comfort, from St. Kitts; israunsburgh, Harnlyn, from Grenada; Niel Mit‘ilekty from ; I.avinia, Wales, from Berbice ; Benlornond„ Barr, from Brain ; son, from Quebec; Anna, Askiil , from Surinam ; Adven. Lure, Jonn.on, from St. Vincent; Princess of Wales, Hutch insuntlfrom St. Croix ; City ut Etlindurgb, Cook, from An& tigua; Coromanuel, Hunt, trom Ph.lade.phia ; Lord Eldon, Young, from Bengal ; Lau', from Montserrat ; Geottubbert, Head, from Antigua ; and Aurora, Walker, from Quebec. PORTSMOUTH, JULY 1 3 . . Arrived the Belle, BETTS; Providence, WALKER Fanny, HANcocx. together with a convoy of transports of about 50 sail, from Lisbon; Phcenix, TOMLINSON ; and Ata tante, MARSHAL, from Oporto; Yonge from Gottenburgh. Arrived this morning his Majesty's ships Growler and Hyperian, from the westward. Arrived the Porgery schooner, of 10 guns; from America; Unity, MONDAY, from London; Pap tune, PAIN, from Tioby ; Conunerce, FORD, from Milford; Crown; SIMPSON, from Quebec. Sailed, his Majesty's ships Goshawk, Proieaor, and Magnet, for a cruize. YARMOUTH, JULY 13.—Arrived the Plzen gun brig from Heligoland, and brings an account that Cuxhaven has surrendered to Lord GEORGE STUART, of L'AimaLle; atter firing a few shots. HULL, JULY 11.-00 Tuesday evening the ful lowing vessels anived here from the Davis's Streigias Whale Fisiiety, all full viz. Thilngria, Webster, t 7 whales, 550 DL:lts us blubber ; Cato, WMlden, Is whales, 4.50 utt, of bt..bOet ; Briton, Plaxtoo ' t 4 witmos. 34. butts of blubber ; d na We Venerable, Keilalt, 176 whales, SS:, butts ui blubber. The vessels, we understand, left the Ffslic.q.y about the ist of June ; they bung an account of the suc cess of the undermentioned vessels belonging to tins port, viz. Leviathan 19 fish ; Lynx 16 or 17 ' - Royal George 1 6 ; Symmetry 16, one small; Mary and Elizabeth is ; ton 14 ; Marquis of 1-iuntiey 14 ; Elizabeth 13 ; fhorilion a or 4. The Catherine, YiLING, we are sorry to learn, was lost upon Wlialc.fish Island on the 24th April ; the crew, however, were saved. The Birnie, Captain fiuitNsy, of Grimsby, tias arrived there, from Davis's Streights, with I fish, (one small,) a lull ship ; the Lad Fauconbe-g, or that port, had got 8 fish. Friday arrived in the purt of Newcastle, the Lady Jane, from Davis's Streights, with 8 whales, pru- . ducing 227 casks of blubber, 3 tons of fins: The Hercules arrived at Aberdeen on the 2d July, from the whale fishery, with 1 1 large fish, a bumper ship. EAST INDIA siiIPPING. The Lord Keith arrived at Bengal about the 19th of January last. file Lurope and Lor d CastlertaA arrived at Bengal while the fleet were U d ,, ' patch. The Carmarthen was at Bombay wbeil t::